Law Society of England and Wales president Lubna Shuja recently visited law firm Gordons to discuss the legal sector and diversity and inclusion.
Alongside being only the seventh woman to lead the society since it was founded in 1825, Shuja is the first Asian and first Muslim person to be president after taking office last October.
At the event, Shuja shared with the audience her experiences throughout her 30-year career.
This encompassed her pathway into the profession from her roots in Bradford, which included her first paid work experience in a law firm—working over three summers at Gordons, which is also based in Leeds.
Shuja shared how this had been instrumental in deciding that a legal career was the right choice for her.
Commenting on her visit, Shuja said: “It was a delight to be back in Yorkshire, and to go back to the firm that had me on three work placements, to discuss key learnings from my 30-year career in the law.
“We’ve come a long way as a profession in that time. However, there’s always more that can be done to ensure those who want to pursue a legal career are not disadvantaged purely because of their background.
“I’m grateful to Gordons, a firm with a high-profile track record for promoting diversity and inclusion, for hosting me. It provided me with an excellent opportunity to share my experiences and discuss this vital topic for shaping the future of our profession.”
Gordons solicitor and head of inclusion and wellbeing Catherine Woodward said: “At Gordons, we are committed to promoting diversity, inclusion and opportunities for everyone through pioneering programmes such as our apprenticeship scheme.
“It was a pleasure to host Lubna and learn more about her career and her vital work in building a legal profession that reflects today’s diverse society.
“As a firm, we believe it is imperative to have a clear route for those with great attitude, determination and talent to have a career in law, no matter where they come from or what school they went to.”
Pictured: Lubna Shuja (centre) with Victoria Davey (left) and Catherine Woodward (right) from Gordons
Image source: Gordons
